Raul Martinez, dominant Fairmount Park trainer, dead at 73

Raul Martinez, who experienced great success as a trainer at Fairmount Park before mentoring his son Ralph to dominate racing there in the early 2000s, died Nov. 27 in southern Illinois. He was 73.

Martinez teamed with kingpin owner Louis O’Brien to rule their circuit for years, winning a career-high 136 races in 1978 before turning over his stable to his son in 2000. Funeral services were held Thursday in Collinsville, Ill.